Eltas e



(No Model.)

B. E. RIBS & W. S. HORRY. REGULATING SOCKET 0R HOLDER FOR INOANDESGENT ELECTRIC LAMPS.

No. 470,402. Patented Mar. 8, 1892.

Fij

l/V VE N TORS EL/AS E. R/ES.

WILLIAM S. HGARY.

ATTORNEY.

ma Norms rcrzns 20.. PNGTO-LIYNO., \vAsHmaTnn, a. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIAS E. RIES AND \VILLIAM SMITII HORRY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNORS TO THE RIES ELECTRIC SPECIALTY COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

REGULATING SOCKET 0R HOLDER FOR lNCANDESCENT ELECTRIC LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 470,402, dated March 8, 1892.

Application filed May 5, 1891. Serial No. 391,696. (No model.)

To all, whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ELIAS ERIES, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, and iVIL- LIAM SMITH HoRRY, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, also a resident of said Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Regulating Sockets or Holders for Incandescent Electric Lamps, of which the following is a Specification.

Our invention has reference to regulating sockets or holders for alternating-current incandescent electric lamps in which the intensity of the light emitted by the lamp is varied by setting up a variable counter electro-motive force or current tending to oppose to a greater or less extent the flow of current to the lamp, as more particularly set forth and claimed in an application of Elias E:

Ries, Serial No. 398,578, filed July 6, 1891, and also in an application of Elias E. Ries, Serial No. 398,579, filed July (3, 1891, on which our present invention is in the nature of an improvement.

The object of our invention is, among other things, to provide means for gradually and economically varying the intensity of the light emitted by the lamp, as well as extinguishing the same altogether, with the least possible loss of current; to secure greater economy, simplicity, and compactness in the construction of the regulating-coil and its operating mechanism, as well as in the lampsocket containing the same; to obtain within a small and compact space a wide range of regulation combined with a high degree of efficiency, and to permit of safely and effectively operating from a given lamp-socket lamps differing in voltage and candlepower. IVe attain these objects by providing the lamp socket or holder with an annular core wound with a number of lengths of insulating-wire preferably arranged in the form of a strand or cable, as will hereinafter more fully appear, the ends of the several wires being properly cross-connected and brought to a series of terminals arranged within the lamp-socket in position to be traversed-by an arm or contactbrush attached to an operating-key in such a manner that the current-supply to the lamp may either pass unobstructed through the socket without traversing any of the said wires or may be choked or opposed more or less by being made to traverse in succession any desired number of the wires composing said strand or winding, or the supply of current to the lamp may be cut off altogether.

Our invention further comprises certain modifications and details of construction whereby the accidental short-circniting of the individual coils by the motion of the circuitelosing arm may be prevented, for adapting the current-carrying capacity of the wires composing the coil to the variations in the strength of current traversing the same respectively, and for various other purposes, some of which will be hereinafter referred to.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure l is a Vertical section of the entire socket, showing the lamp attached. Fig. 2 is a view of the socket, partly in section, taken at right angles to Fig. 1, showing the regulating-key and its contactterminals. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the winding of the core and connections. Fig. 4 is a diagram of a modified form of winding. Fig. 5 is a detail view of one form of the cable used for winding the core.

Similar letters and figures of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A represents an annular iron ring or core, which is preferably laminated and may be composed of thin-iron stampings, as shown, or of iron wire wound upon a suitable former. This ring or core is wound with a strand or cable B, of insulated wire, which is prefererably of such length as to cover the outer surface of the core to the depth of one or two layers when wound thereon. The free ends of the wires composing the strand are then brought to contact-terminals C, the end of one wire being connected to the beginning of the next, as shown in the diagram view, Fig. 3,so that all the wires composing the strand arein series. The contact-terminals C preferably consist of screws or pins ranged in the insulating block or support H in the path of an arm or brush D, secured to one end of the lamp or regulating-key D, which brush is capable of moving between the limiting-stops I I through an arc of ninety degrees, so that the position of the key will indicate the degree to which current is flowing to the lamp. The loops or wires are preferably slipped from one side-of the block H through holes K,formedtherein,and passed underthe heads of the contact-pins O, which latter are then driven home, as shown in Figs. 1' and 2.

Above the annular coil B is a base N, of insulating material, to which is secured the lamp-holdin g shell or terminal G of the socket, which may be of any ordinary-or desirable construction, according to the makeof lamp or other translating device the current to which is to be regulated. One of the leadingin wires i is attached to the binding-terminal L at the lower portion of the blockl'l, Fig. 1, from which the current flows along the wire E 'to the lamp-holding shell G. The other leading-in wire F is attached to the bindingterminal M, from which the current is conveyed to the'switch-arm D, thence aroun'dthe core A through such of the wires of the strand or cable B as may be in circuit to the first terminal 1 of the series of contacts 0,.and thence along a conductor E to'the other lampterminal 1 I The operation of the socket will now be understood. The circuit-wires that supply the lamp being secured to the terminals L and M in the usual manner and the key D 4 being in its verticalposition, so that the contact-arm D rests upon contact 1 of the series of terminals 0 at the extreme'le'ft, the How of alternating current through'the lamp will beunobstruct'ed and thelatter will glow at its highest 'brilliancy. 'When now the arm D is'moved so as to rest upon contact 2, the current, instead of flowing directly to the lamp, will'firstjpass around the core Athrough one of the wiresformingthestrand or cable 13. This current energizes and sets up an alternating polarity in the iron core A, which in turn generates a counter electro-motive force in the active wire of the strand which partially opposes or neutralizes the direct electro-motive force, and'thuspermits but a portion of the current to flow through the lamp filament, causing the same to glow with a slightly-reduced brilliancy. As the key 'D is moved farther to the left, passing over the contacts 3, 4, 5, 6, and '7 successively, the

lengthof active opposing wireincluded'in the lamp-circuit is progressively increased, thus causing the core A to generate aigradually-increased counter electro-motive force the full to the dotted position shown in Fig. 3, the lamp is gradually brought from total extinction to full brilliancy, and it will be evident that any intermediate degree of incandesence can be maintained for any desired length of time-by moving the arm D to the-desired point.

By winding the ring or core A with a set of insulated conductors arranged in the form of a single-stranded cable of short length, as shown, instead of employing the long singlewire method of winding hitherto used in reaction coils of the closed core and other types, an enormous amount of time and labor is saved and the-construction of our socket greatly simplified. 7e are thus enabled to produce in an essentially small and very compact form a cheap and at thesame .time efficient reaction-coil of .the-ring-or closed core type, and thereby permit the use of a counterelectro-motive-force regulator of-this type in connection with incandescent-lamp socket-s, as already described. It willalso be observed that since each wire contained by the cable is substantially of the same length the mere wrapping of, the cable upon the .core will wind the latter simultaneously with .any .desired number of sections of equal lengthand capable of generating an equal counter electro-motive force when in action.

It will .be apparent that when the switcharm D is in contact with the terminal 2, Fig. 3,'buta single section of the cable B .is in circuit with the lamp, and the amount of counterforce set up (being due only tothis ,one active section) is so smallthat nearlythe full volume of current passes through this wire to the lamp. On the other hand, it will be seen that when the switch is in contact with the last terminal 7 the counter electromotive force generated by the coilis so great that only a very small amount of current passes through the wires constituting the cable. We takeadvantage of th'isfact bymaking up thecable of different sizes of wire, (as

shown in .the diagram View by lines of diiterent thickness,) the heavier or normal sized wires constituting those sections of the completed coil through which the heaviest flow of current takes place, while the wires of smaller 'gage are connected to the terminals .corresponding to a lesser How of current, the wire connecting with the last terminal 7 in'Fig. 3' being the smallest of the series. In this manher the conductivity of each wire is proportionate to the maximum current it carries, and we are at the same time able to reduce the thickness of the cable or strand B, thereby not only economizing in the amount of wire and space occupied per unit length .of cable, but increasing the efliciency or the choking action of the coil by .permittingan increased number of convolutionsto'be wound upon the core without increasing the size of the-coil.

In order to prevent permauent'bridg 'ing of any two adjacent contacts 0 by the arm D and consequent short-eireuiting of the coil ineluded between the same, we have found it expedient to form a slight cavity in the end of the arm D, which will cause it to come to rest directly upon the slightly-convex-shaped head of the terminals 0 when made to traverse the latter. However, other well-known or desirable means may be employed by us for this purpose insteadas, for example, a suitable ratchet or notches in the path of the switch-arm arranged to bring the arm D to rest at the desired points. In some cases we make the end of the switch-arm D sut'ficiently narrow to prevent it from bridging the 0011- tacts, and thus short-circuiting the coil-sections. This method, however, is somewhat objectionable for two reasons: First, because there is in such case a point of no light between each contact, during which the lightis apt to be periodically extinguished as the switch is moved along the series of contacts, and, second, because of the arcing that occurs upon rupturing the circuit at these points by the movement of the switch. To overcome these objections in a simplemanner, we have designed the double-coil arrangement about to be described with reference to Fig. at.

Fig. 4 represents a modified form of winding devised by us in which both the interruption of the light and the accidental short-circuiting of a given section of the winding are prevented and in which the transit of the switch-arm from one terminal to the next produces what may be termed a half-step in the variation of the amount of light given by the lamp. In this arrangement the wires of the cable B are divided into two sets B and B, (shown separately in the diagram for the sake of clearness,) the terminals of one set alternating with those of the other. Ordinarily only one set or portion of a set is in circuit at one time; butin the act of passing from an even-numbered to an odd-numbered. terminal, or vice versa, the switch-arm D places both sets or portions thereof, as the case may be, in multiple with each other, which by atiording a double path for the current around the core reduces or varies the resistance without substantially varying the amount of counterforce generated, and thus causes a more even and gradual variation in the flow of current to the lamp or other translating device when the key is moved. This method of winding is of special importance, since we are enabled thereby to eifect an uninterrupted and gradual variation in the current flowing to the lamp or other translating device without any of the objectionable features hitherto ineidentto the operation of reaction-coil regulators of the closed-core type and which have heretofore rendered them incapable of application to incandescent-lamp sockets. A further advantage of this winding is that the switch-arm D may be moved so that it will normally come to rest between two adjacent contacts, as shown in Fi 4, thus normally dividing the total current between two windings or paths instead of one, so that not only can no sparking or interruption in current take place, but the size or current-carrying capacity of each wire composing the strand may be largely reduced.

It will be apparent that by means of our improvements we are enabled to provide a simple, efficient, and comparatively inexpensive regulating'socket for alternating-current lamps and other translating devices, which will without useless waste of current through dead-resistance or otherwise permit of varying or turning up and down the light given by the lamp in a simple, safe, and efficient manner. In addition to this, our lamp-socket connected across the terminals of a fifty-fivevolt circuit can be made to hold and supply current to lamps that can ordinarily be burned only on twenty-live, thirty-five, or forty-five volt circuits. It will be further seen that a fifty-five-volt lamp of twenty-five -candle power can be reduced in brilliancy so as to give light equal to an ordinary sixteen-candle-power lamp with increased life and considerable saving in the consumption of current, and that the same lamp can be turned down by means of this socket so as to give but a fraction of a single-candle power, it desired, and that it may also be turned out altogether. By means of this socket, furthermore, a greater economy in incandescent lighting can be obtained, for since the light is rendered adjustable by the consumer it cannot only be turned down when less than the full amount of light is desired without waste of current, but the lamps may be run above their normal candle-power at a correspondingly greater electrical efficieney for short periods of time when an extra volume of light is desirable.

While we have shown and described our invention as applied to a particular form of lamp'socket, we desire it understood that we do not limit ourselves to such sockets, but may apply the same to any make of socket. Neither do we restrict ourselves to the exact details of construction set forth herein, as the same may be modified without departing from the scope of our invention. IVe do not, however, claim herein, broadly, an incandescentlamp socket provided with a reactive coil or other counter-electro-motive-force generator, nor do we herein claim the method of varying thebrilliancyof an incandescent electric lamp by subjecting the current while passing through the socket or fixture containing said lamp to a variable counter electro motive force, since these broader inventions form the subj ect-matter of and are generically elai med in the pending applications of Elias E. Ries, Serial Nos. 398,578 and 398,579, before referred to.

\Vhat we jointly claim herein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, 1s

1. A socket for incandescent electric lamps operated by alternating or intermittent ourrents, comprising an iron'ring or core wound with a strand or cable composed of a number of separate insulated wires, a non-conducting support for the said core, having a series of contact-terminals, to which the ends of the wires composing the strand or cable are connected, a contact-makin g holder or receptacle for the lamp, also secured to saidsupport, a

key or switch suitably mounted in said support and arranged to make contact with the said terminals, and a shell surrounding said support and inclosing the coil, the contactterminals, and the lamp-holder or receptacle, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A regulating-socket for alternating or intermittent current incandescent electric lamps, the same comprising a reaction or choking coil wound with a single strand or cable composed of separate insulated wires connected in series with each other and of substantially equal length, a series of contact-terminals, to which the connected ends of the said wires are brought, a suitable non-conducting support for the said coil and contacts and for the lamp-holdin g terminals, anda circuit-closin g key or switch adapted to traverse the said contacts and arranged to include more or less of the connected lengths of wire composing the cable in the lamp-circuit, substantially as described.

3. A reaction-coil for alternating-current incandescent electric lamps and other translating devices, the same comprising a laminated-iron ring or core wound with a single strand or cable composed of a number of separate insulated wires and having the ends of said wires connected in series with one another after the cable is wound upon the core, substantially as described.

4. A reaction-coil regulator for alternatingcurrent incandescent lamps and other translating devices, having an'iron ring or core wound with a single strand or cable composed of a number of separate insulated wires, contact-terminals to which the free ends of the wires composing the cable are connected,and a switch arranged to traverse said terminals and make electrical connection with the same,

substantially as described.

5. A regulating-socket for alternating-current incandescent lamps, having an iron ring or core wound with a single strand or cable composed of a number of separate insulated wires, terminal connections between the end of one wire and the beginning of the next, and a key or switch within the socket arranged to traverse said terminals and thereby include a greater or less number of the wires composing the strand in thelamp-circuit, substantially as described.

6. A regulating-socket for alternating-current incandescent electric lamps, having a laminated iron ring or core wound with a single strand-or cable composed of separate insulated wires of dilferent diameter or currentcarrying capacity, cross connections between the end of one wire and the beginning of the next throughout the series, and a key or switch forincluding more or lessof said wires in series with the lamp-filament and thereby subject the lamp-current to a greater or less choking or retarding action, substantially as described.

7. A self-inductive coil or counter-electromotive-force generator having a laminated iron core, twosets of self-inductive coils wound thereon, one end of each set being connected to one terminal of the supply-circuit, a series of contacts or terminals for each set of coils, to which the ends of the coils composingeach set are respectively brought, and a key or switch connected to the the other terminal of the supply-circuit and arranged to traverse thosaid terminal contacts and to make connection alternately or simultaneously with those of each set of coils,substantially as described.

8. A reaction-coil or counter-electro-m otiveforce generator having a laminated core wound with a single cable composed, of two sets of separate insulated conductors, a series of contacts or terminals for each set of conductors, to which the ends of said conductors are brought, and a key or switch arranged to traverse the said terminals and to make connection with those of both sets of coils, substantially as described.

9. A regulating-socket for incandescent electric lamps, &c., said socket containing a reaction-coil regulator or counter-electro-motive-force generator provided with two separate sets of windings and having a switch arranged to be operated to make contact with the terminals of either or both of said sets, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ELIAS E. RIES. WILLIAM SMITH I-IORRY.

Witnesses:

'LEOPOLD Rrns, EDW. M. BECK. 

